The Centre for Risk and Insurance Studies (CRIS) was formed in 1991, originally as the University of Nottingham Insurance Centre. It is one of the world's leading specialist university centres for risk and insurance. The Centre is situated within Nottingham University Business School and is based in the award-winning Jubilee Campus, opened in 1999.

The Centre maintains close links with the insurance industry and others working in risk management. It has been very successful in attracting industry as well as research council sponsorship. In particular, one of the posts is funded in this way: the Norwich Union Professor of Insurance Studies. The Centre is also assisted by Special Professors and Visiting Lecturers from the industry.

The research programme of the Centre reflects public policy priorities as well as those expressed from the insurance industry and covers not only traditional insurance activities but also risk management more generally. For example, Centre staff have published research on decision-making rules for risky investments, and accounting for risk within the public sector.

The Centre organises a number of conferences, including the annual Conference of UK Insurance Economists, a forum for academics and those in the industry to hear and discuss the latest research. It also publishes a newsletter, Crisline, available on its website.

CRIS has close links with the Financial Services Research Forum, which is co-ordinated by Nottingham University Business School.

The Centre maintains a database of U.K. insurance company accounting information and publishes annually "Insurance Company Performance", collating data on over 500 companies.

The Centre has introduced an innovative MBA course, in Risk & Insurance Management. This recognises the particular needs of management in the insurance sector, and combines teaching in subjects ordinarily featured in MBA degrees, such as strategy and marketing, with specialist modules on risk, insurance and financial services. The course can be done either by attending 12 1-week modules over 2 to 4 years, or full-time over one year. The degree incorporates group work, and dissertations (which can be geared to the members' particular interests). They are accredited by AMBA (Association of MBAs).

Two one-year full-time specialist MA degrees are offered, in Insurance Studies and in Risk Management. The Centre also supervises PhD students.

The University of Nottingham has taught specialist risk and insurance modules within its undergraduate degrees since 1968: these continue to be very popular.

The Centre has an Advisory Board, drawn from members of the risk and insurance community and other academics working in this area.